Eastern Style vs. Lexington (Western Style) Barbecue

Eastern Style Barbecue:

Known as “America’s original barbecue”.
Prepared from whole hogs.
Usually cooked outside of a restaurant.
Some grills use burning coals both under and above the hog.
The hog is first cooked skin side up, then rotated to meat side up.
During the cooking process the meat is covered with the restaurants sauce continuously (this is because in the 17th and 18th centuries colonists thought tomatoes were poisonous).
Sauce used today consists of black and red pepper, cayenne (both finely crushed and dried crushed forms).
Tastes like hot and spicy vinegar with thousands of variations.
Dryer than Lexington style because it contains white meat.
Most barbecue is machine “chopped” which adds to the dryness.
Usually paired with Brunswick Stew and fried cornbread, called corn sticks.

Lexington (Western) Style Barbecue:

Located in the Piedmont area rather than the mountains.
Only made from pig shoulder, rather than the whole pig (shoulders are said to be easier to handle and produce meat that is more moist).
Produces less waste than an entire pig.
Cooked wrapped in foil to protect the meat from the ashes for 9-12 hours.
They are rarely basted like Eastern style.
The barbecue is cooked inside more commonly than eastern style.
Served chopped, coarse chopped, or sliced (Eastern style is always chopped).
Contains ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in addition to the basic ingredients.

Both:

Restaurants serving both styles are beginning to turn from cooking over coals to cooking in electric or gas indoor grills.
Both are almost always made with pork, rather than chicken like in some areas.
Can be found served chopped.
Basic ingredients include: red and black pepper, cayenne, and vinegar

By: Chas Welch and Emeline Preston

Eastern Style Barbecue vs. Lexington Style Barbecue